How to attach grass catcher to lawn mower

Grass clippings- especially when they’re too long- can be an irritating nuisance to get rid of if left on the lawn.  

Let’s be honest: Many of us would rather attach a grass catcher to the mower to pick up grass clippings as we mow- it’s surely easier than raking and may even be a viable alternative to a pull behind lawn sweeper particularly for small sized yards.

Here is how to attach grass catcher to lawn mower if you have just gotten yourself a good grass catcher to help you collect the ugly grass clippings whilst mowing.

How to attach grass catcher to lawn mower – the preliminaries

In most cases, pull behind grass catcher are designed to attach easily to classic lawnmowers and nearly all riding lawnmowers.

That said, lawn mowers are not created equal so it’s important to check what your model’s operator’s manual says about installing this type of attachment before everything else.

The steps will also vary by the catcher you have- each style will need you to remove/install different components.

For this reason, go through your owner’s manual for the grass catcher accessory as well before you start.

Quick Tip: To access the owner’s manual, search online on the site of the manufacturer of your lawn mower /catcher- the part number of your catcher may be needed for the search. 

Let’s now look at the general steps:

How to attach grass catcher to lawn mower – step by step for the most common lawn mower models

How to attach grass catcher to Husqvarna riding lawn mower

Husqvarna grass catchers (there are double and triple bagger models) works perfectly with its riding lawn tractors.

Plus, the bins are super simple to attach thanks to the simplistic design.

Installation steps:

1. Fit the support assembly that comes with the catcher into the drawbar openings on your Husqvarna riding tractor. Check that that the retainer spring is holding the assembly firmly in place before moving on.
2. Fit the cover assembly onto the newly-attached support assembly’s brackets.
3. The last and perhaps the most straightforward step is sliding in the containers. Note that the lower chute should fit over the mower’s opening while the upper chute shall fit in the freshly-mounted cover assembly as well as the lower chute.

Boom! You’re done!

How to attach grass catcher to craftsman lawn mower

A.   Rear-discharge craftsman mowers

1. Lift the mower’s rear door.
2. Locate the mower grass discharge opening and un-mount the mulching plate. Be sure to store it safely-You may need it in the future when you want to mulch rather than bag grass.
3. Assemble the bagger as per the instructions in your operator’s manual.
4. Open the rear door on the mower. You’ll find bracket hooks on the handle. 
5. Your bagger’s frame has hooks on the side too. Attach them to the aforementioned bracket hooks. 
6. Shut the rear door. This secures the bag firmly to your mower’s housing.

That’s all!

B.    Side-discharge craftsman mowers

1. Locate the discharge cover and uninstall the mulching plate. As advised, store it safely.
2. Assemble the catcher properly. 
3. Lift the mower’s side-discharge door. 
4. Next, the grass chute should be attached to the hooks you find protruding from the mower’s housing side, right in front of the dis-charge chute. 
5. Ensure the chute is resting on the mower’s body and proceed to lower the side discharge door so as to rest on grass chute.
6. Now you can attach your grass catcher- simply clip it into place on the mower’s handle. 
7. The next step is connecting the grass chute – it’s now protruding from the mower side- to the slot at the bottom (of your grass catcher).
8. Your final step is securing the clips attaching the bag to the grass chute. This helps connect the two pieces firmly.

And that’s that!

How to attach grass catcher to Troy Bilt lawn mower

Follow these steps if your Troy-Bilt lawnmower came with a bagger attachment:

1. Grab the rod frame –that comes with the catcher- and insert it into the opening in the bag. The rods should be pushed in until you bring the square end (of the frame) to touch the bag.
2. Next, slide the bag’s plastic channel catch over the metallic frame until it’s securely in place.
3. Go to the rear of the mower and expose the blade by lifting the plastic flap up.
4. Now hold the metal catch (found on the end of the bag’s metal assembly) and slide it onto the mower’s pivot rod (located under the plastic flap).
5. Lastly, release the plastic flap to allow it rest on the bag.

Universal grass catchers for riding mowers reviews.

How to attach grass catcher to John Deere riding lawn mower 

Here is how to attach the 2 rear grass catcher bags that often come with the John Deere riding lawn mower:

1. Install the mounting post by fitting the protruding tabs onto the unit’s rear hitch plate (they go to the open slots).
2. Insert the end of the bagger support rod into the corresponding holes on the rear cargo mounts. 
3. Insert the bagger support rod (the ends) into the smaller-sized holes on the tractor’s rear cargo mounts.
4. Install the drilled cargo pin into mounting post (it goes to the empty hole on the right).
5. To secure the newly-inserted cargo pin, install the spring locking pin into the hole at the center of the drilled cargo pin.
6. Now install the left and right hand side bags onto the mounting post.
7. Finally, close the hopper top and proceed to fasten the hood hold-down over the latch rod. 

How to install a catcher on your Ariens lawn tractor

If you have the Ariens 936-Series Bagger Kit, you can install it on your Ariens Lawn Tractor as explained in the video below:

Wrap up

While the above instructions may vary slightly depending on your mower model and the grass catcher you have, they will give you a head start when trying to get the job done.

But as stated earlier, the best place to start is your operator manuals-most have detailed instructions.

Remember to observe all recommended safety precautions when doing it….

The most common safety rules are wearing gloves and disconnecting the spark plug (turn off the mower first). 

Of course, the last thing you want is a trip to the emergency room!